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General loudness
- Thread starter Rob Lewis
- Start date
It's rock'n'roll! There's a great visceral excitement that comes with overwhelming volume. People want to feel the music in their chest, and moving their clothes. It's moving and emotional, especially with rhythm.
Who wants this more than musicians?
Who wants this more than musicians?
I always wondered this too. I haven't gone to many concerts in my life just because I wanted to have hearing (especially as a bass player) when I'm 60...
The best purchase for me was a pair of volume reducing earplugs that don't cut everything out, it just turns the volume down on life. Now I get that visceral joy while preserving my hearing. IMO concerts actually sound better with them in, you get the nuances of all the instruments instead of the usual booms and treble.
The best purchase for me was a pair of volume reducing earplugs that don't cut everything out, it just turns the volume down on life. Now I get that visceral joy while preserving my hearing. IMO concerts actually sound better with them in, you get the nuances of all the instruments instead of the usual booms and treble.
I think he used too nice words. Most loud gigs I've heard sounded terrible... all loud players I've played with were so "rock star wannabies" that they treated music and playing like a small addition to "rock'n'roll".
For me, music and quality of music always comes first.
If it sounds right - the volume doesn't concern me. Usually it's only loud, with no place for good sound and music.
Musicality aside, the need for volume is proportional to the number of ppl that will be targeted by the music. Small audience = small rig/less volume. But there are several occasions where the size of the audience requires more than a 112 to fill up. Sure there are people that think they need an 810 for everything, and there are others who insist that a 110 combo is enough for any gig.
There has to be happy medium between what's needed, and what isn't.
There has to be happy medium between what's needed, and what isn't.
+1
This guy knows the score. its a vital ingredient to a good rock show. Outside of rock, well they can just do what they want tbh
scottbass
Bass lines like a big, funky giant
Yeah, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there...Have you ever been to a Who gig?
It's rock. It's suposed to be loud. Exactly how loud is a relative matter to be agreed upon (hopefully) by the creators - which is you and your band mates. Every guitard in the world thinks he can't get "his tone" unless those tubes are fully saturated and glowing bright blue. (OK, not "every" one, just 99% of them.)
Yes, there is good logic to keeping your stage volume as low as possible. That's dictated mostly by how loud your drummer plays. You have to be loud enough to hear the other instruments from the other side of the stage - as well as yourself. The quietest way to do this is to put everything in the monitors - especially if you're using in-ear monitors. The loudest way to do this is to just use your amps without any reinforcement in the monitors.
There are many good reasons to keep your stage volume as low as possible - and to use hearing protection. But DAMN, it sure sounds better loud to most of us, doesn't it?
Did you ever try to play "My Generation" or "The Kids Are All Right" at a "reasonable volume"? It hurts - kinda like holding in gas when you're at church. IMHO
I personally like to play and rehearse at reasonably low levels.
Loud enough but not too loud for the room
No one's better off playing louder than needed.
Especially if it's a PA supported gig one does, loud stage volume is really unnecessary IMO.
Not too loud also sounds a lot better I think.
There are many good reasons to keep your stage volume as low as possible - and to use hearing protection. But DAMN, it sure sounds better loud to most of us, doesn't it?
No, it doesn't, it just sounds like ****. Oh yeah, and the 60s are over, man.
Yeah, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there...Have you ever been to a Who gig?
I was on KISS concert.
It was loud, but my ears weren't bleeding.
The sound quality was just great! I could feel and hear every drum beat, I've heard every word they were singing, I've heard bass, drums and two guitars. Usually when I go to see (and hear) a gig I can hear just clipping solid state power amps, distorting woofers, muffed vocals and over-distorted guitars. This is not rock'n'roll. This is sh*t.
I'd say: loudness - yes! Tone quality sacrifice - NO!
Usually an ordinary bands you can hear at pubs or on larger "city" outdoor venues/local festivals
It's not only amateurs problem - have you heard last two Metallica albums?
I have the most recent Metallica album. Doesn't sound very good.
But I saw Metallica live last November - and it sounded fantastic. Would have been some very upset pent-up teenagers had they not been blaring the music as loud as they were.
Maybe I suffer, because I live in country, where quality gear was impossible tu get before 90's, so most sound guys are deaf and just can't do their job properly... and sometimes they still have 30-40 years old PA systems from east Germany
Believe me or not, 90% of gigs (even the largest stars concerts) sound way worse than new Metallica album. Go and see some amateur live shots on youtube and imagine this is the sound you usually hear coming from front speakers on gigs. Even if the band is famous - most recent Isis gig sounded really THAT terrible. Only the bigest, most famous bands sounds good. Because their PA cost a lot and really CAN deliver both, the sound and the oomph.
This may be just the polish way. To krank everything on the PA and make ears bleed :/ Maybe that's why I hate playing loud.
I quit semi-pro tribute band, because the bandleader's (drummer) way to play a gigs was:
"I don't give a sh*t how does it sound. This is rock'n'roll and i'm going to play as loud as I can"
Yeah.... :/
Yeah, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there...Have you ever been to a Who gig?
It's rock. It's suposed to be loud. Exactly how loud is a relative matter to be agreed upon (hopefully) by the creators - which is you and your band mates. Every guitard in the world thinks he can't get "his tone" unless those tubes are fully saturated and glowing bright blue. (OK, not "every" one, just 99% of them.)
Yes, there is good logic to keeping your stage volume as low as possible. That's dictated mostly by how loud your drummer plays. You have to be loud enough to hear the other instruments from the other side of the stage - as well as yourself. The quietest way to do this is to put everything in the monitors - especially if you're using in-ear monitors. The loudest way to do this is to just use your amps without any reinforcement in the monitors.
There are many good reasons to keep your stage volume as low as possible - and to use hearing protection. But DAMN, it sure sounds better loud to most of us, doesn't it?
Did you ever try to play "My Generation" or "The Kids Are All Right" at a "reasonable volume"? It hurts - kinda like holding in gas when you're at church. IMHO
Look how well playing loud worked out for Pete Townsend.
Mark Wilson
Supporting Member
Musicians complaining that they hate loud music is like a wine or liqour connoisseur complaining that they hate feeling the slightest bit drunk.
If you want low peforming volumes for your nice soft jazz combo, fine. Not everybody is a pansy, though.
I get a suspicious feeling you've never played jazz before.
Regardless, i wear my ear plugs all the time. They're custom made, and there is no timbral loss. It just cuts everything down by 15dB.
